Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Patton, PA

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is increasingly recognized as a valuable method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair acts as a historical archive for alcohol and other drugs by embedding biomarkers within the hair strand's growing fibers. When collected near the scalp, hair provides an approximate 3-month detection period for alcohol and other substances. Hair is easy to collect, somewhat challenging to tamper, and straightforward to ship.

A 1.5-inch sample consisting of approximately 200 hair strands (comparable to the thickness of a #2 pencil) near the scalp yields 100mg of hair, which is the optimal sample size for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, add-ons, and/or tests exceeding 10 panels, a specimen weight of 150mg is suggested. Using a jeweler’s scale to weigh the specimen is advised. If scalp hair is unavailable, an equivalent amount of body hair can be collected. The term head hair refers exclusively to scalp hair, whereas body hair encompasses all other hair types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory process of a drug test result primarily involves Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning pertains to the initial entry of a sample into a laboratory's system. This process includes confirming that the sample is sealed and shipped correctly, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any additional data entry not included by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening offers a preliminary assessment for drug abuse. While Screening is cost-efficient for ruling out drug usage in most samples, a positive screen necessitates confirmation for court admissibility. Samples with presumptive positive results in Screening require a secondary confirmation.

Should a sample test presumptively positive in the Screening phase, additional hair is extracted from the initial specimen and prepared for Extraction. This stage involves extracting drugs from hair at a significantly lower concentration compared to other methods (such as urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening the most challenging methodology to execute.

Confirmation of positive screening results is conducted using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples undergo washing before confirmation as necessary. The complete laboratory process from Accessioning to Confirmation is assessed under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and accredited to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Long detection window: Hair drug tests can identify drug use for up to 90 days, whereas urine tests have a shorter detection window.
• Difficult to cheat: Cheating a hair drug test is extremely challenging, enhancing the accuracy of the results.
• Provides historical data: It reveals a pattern of drug usage over a period of time, not merely recent use.

Limitations:

• Cannot detect recent use: It takes about 5-7 days for drugs to be discernible in hair.
• Cost: Hair drug testing is generally pricier compared to other drug testing methods.
• Result variations: Elements like hair color and individual differences in hair growth can alter drug metabolite concentrations in the hair.

Note: Although often termed as "hair follicle tests," the analysis is of the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing offers superior benefits over traditional urine tests in Patton, PA. One of the standout advantages is its accuracy. Hair tests can detect a wide range of substances with high precision. Unlike urine tests, which have a shorter detection window, hair samples provide a longer detection timeline and more consistent reliability, capturing a fuller spectrum of substance usage patterns.

Extended Detection Window

The extended detection window of hair follicle tests in Patton, PA is a crucial advantage. This testing method effectively monitors drug use for up to 90 days, offering a detailed account of an individual's substance use history. For employers, this provides a thorough background check on employees or job seekers, ensuring a safe and drug-free workplace.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

In Patton, PA, hair follicle testing stands out as a tamper-resistant method for drug detection. The difficulty of altering a hair sample during collection ensures that the test results remain unadulterated and reliable. This makes it an excellent choice for accurate and trustworthy drug testing, discouraging attempts to cheat the system.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Accredited Drug Testing provides convenient access to testing services through their nationwide network, including local centers in Patton, PA. This extensive reach ensures that individuals and businesses can get quick, easy, and hassle-free testing. Multiple locations mean no matter where you are, quality hair follicle testing is readily accessible.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Patton, PA, the process for hair follicle testing is both simple and confidential. From ordering the test to providing a sample and obtaining results, the entire procedure prioritizes privacy and ease of use. This approach ensures clients feel comfortable and assured of their privacy throughout the testing process.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Offering affordable pricing and fast turnaround times, Accredited Drug Testing in Patton, PA caters to businesses of all sizes. Their competitive pricing structures ensure excellent value for money while their swift processing of results provides peace of mind, making hair follicle testing an economically sensible choice for employers.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Patton, PA, hair follicle drug testing is renowned for delivering fast, accurate, and reliable results. Unlike other methods, hair testing offers precise identification of substance use, minimizing false positives and ensuring consistent results. The speed of processing tests means you receive timely and dependable results every time.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Hair follicle testing in Patton, PA ensures compliance and peace of mind for employers. Utilizing these tests helps enforce workplace drug-free policies, mitigating legal risks and fostering a safer work environment. Employers gain confidence knowing they are upholding their duty to maintain a secure and compliant workplace.

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What's New In Hair Follicle Drug Testing according to the Hair Drug Testing Experts

With its multidisciplinary nature, hair testing brings together researchers, scientists, and experts from various domains to develop innovative techniques, explore new methodologies, and address emerging concerns, responding to the ever-evolving challenges of drug abuse, therapeutic drug monitoring, and environmental exposures to pollutants.

The joint meeting of the Society of Hair Testing (SoHT) and the Italian Group of Forensic Toxicologists (GTFI) was organized in Verona, June 8–10, 2022, and hosted by the Legal Medicine team of the Verona University Hospital, directed by Franco Tagliaro together with Federica Bortolotti and Rossella Gottardo.

It served as a prominent platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration, facilitating groundbreaking advancements in hair testing and analysis. In this special issue of Drug Testing and Analysis, we aim to showcase the remarkable manuscripts presented at this significant event, shedding light on the latest research and highlighting the future directions in this field.

Novel Analytical Techniques: The Verona meeting witnessed the unveiling of cutting-edge analytical techniques, offering enhanced sensitivity, selectivity, and accuracy for drug testing. Remarkable advancements in sample preparation, detection, and identification of drug compounds have been presented. The manuscripts in this section presented novel approaches, such as multianalyte methods and on-line preparation which can enable rapid analysis and improve thorough forensic investigations.

Biomarkers and Pharmacokinetics: The identification and validation of reliable biomarkers and pharmacokinetic studies are fundamental aspects of drug testing and analysis. The impact of hair treatments on the oxidation/decomposition of drugs in hair was also explored, as the long-term fate of drugs incorporated in the keratin matrix. Furthermore, the SoHT meeting in Verona featured research on the identification and quantification of alcohol abuse biomarkers, their stability, and their correlation with exposure and other biomarkers.

Forensic Applications and Interpretation: One of the vital objectives of hair testing is its application in forensic investigations and legal proceedings. The SoHT meeting in Verona emphasized the significance of rigorous interpretation of analytical results and the need for standardized protocols. Manuscripts in this section present advancements in forensic toxicology, and have explored the challenges posed by emerging designer drugs and strategies to combat their proliferation. The pitfalls encountered when the exogenous/endogenous nature of a substance is questioned were presented and discussed. The special issue presents also manuscripts that delve into the ethical implications of drug testing in drug facilitated sexual assaults.

Clinical Applications of hair testing are witnessed by the insight on environmental tobacco smoke exposure, assessed by hair analysis in a population of students and the study of in utero-exposure to drugs of abuse through neonatal hair analysis. Exposure to drugs was also important in cases of child abuse/neglect, when the clinical purpose of hair testing merge with its forensic applications.

The legal framework surrounding hair testing and the achievement of guidelines to ensure fairness, accuracy, and confidentiality in drug testing practices have also been discussed,and the SoHT consensus on general hair testing and testing for drugs of abuse was presented at the meeting and published as a Letter to the Editor.

In conclusion, the special issue of Drug Testing and Analysis, featuring manuscripts from the SoHT–GTFI meeting in Verona 2022, reflects the remarkable advancements achieved in this field. The manuscripts provide valuable insights into novel analytical techniques, biomarkers, pharmacokinetics, forensic applications, and ethical considerations. As we embrace these advancements, we pave the way for a safer, healthier society, where drug testing and analysis serve as powerful tools in protecting public health and maintaining integrity in various sectors. The research presented in this special issue will undoubtedly shape the future of drug testing and analysis, fostering collaboration and inspiring further innovation in this crucial area of scientific inquiry.

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